


Lantean Wonder

by FalconHorus



Category: Stargate Atlantis
Genre: Celebrations, Friendship, Fun, Gen, Holidays, Winter Solstice
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-05-10
Updated: 2014-05-10
Packaged: 2018-01-24 04:23:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,320
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1591589
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FalconHorus/pseuds/FalconHorus
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A little Atlantean wonder, courtesy by Doctor Rodney McKay.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Lantean Wonder

**Author's Note:**

  * For [linziday](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=linziday).



> Written as part of the Stargate Atlantis Secret Santa 2013 challenge.  
> Beta: Muses_Mistress

When the expedition had first come to Atlantis, their first new year’s celebration had been spent fighting and winning their first great big battle against the Wraith, albeit within a hair’s breath. So it was no surprise that Doctor Elizabeth Weir declared those days as official Atlantis holidays, to be celebrated and to remember friends and colleagues fallen in that first great battle.

At first it seemed impossible to satisfy every religion represented in the expedition, but they soon found common ground, and somehow the presence of the pine tree, not a Christmas tree, in the cafeteria was considered a must have for these days of celebration without making it lean towards one religion or another. The members seemed to like the familiarity of it being there. It had also become quite the sport to find the weirdest ornaments to decorate the tree with. Athosians would stop by and ask curious questions about the traditions, and learned that theirs and Earths were almost the same in origin, including the tradition of giving gifts. However, the Athosians gave each other handmade gifts, made with care and love for the person to whom they would be given. The expedition members, on the other hand, weren’t all gifted with creative minds to make their gifts by hand, so a lot was being traded for off-world, or being sent in from Earth.

Rodney wasn’t a particular fan of all these celebrations, the thought of having to mingle and exchange pleasantries sent chills down his spine. Small talk wasn’t his strong suit and for the most part he just wanted to dig into his work and forget about the joy and the fun outside the doors of his lab. However, over the years he had made friends. People who cared for him, and didn’t give a flying fig about his faults and quirks. People who trusted him with their lives, who respected him. It gave him a sort of pride, and a peculiar need to give back. He wasn’t creative at all, but a recent exchange with Teyla about the Athosian traditions and winter solstice festivities had set the wheels in his mind in motion. He wasn’t good with his hands, but his mind could perform miracles.

When Radek had shown him the latest find in one of the newly explored labs, an idea had formed that wouldn’t leave him alone. Whatever the Ancients had used the device for, neither of them had a clue about. Even the database didn’t seem to hold much information about the machine nor what it was built for. However, some tinkering with it had revealed a rather unique capability, which had sparked one of many ideas in Rodney’s mind. Radek had given him a curious look when his eyes had lit up and a smile had appeared on his lips, but he had ignored the Czech, even dismissing him to leave him alone. He wanted to run some tests. In reality, he had found the ultimate gift for his friends, and he didn’t want anyone to know about it, not even Radek. It had to be a surprise, his surprise.

So it came to be that when everybody had gathered in the cafeteria to celebrate their Atlantean Solstice he had locked himself away in his lab. His radio was turned off after the umpteenth call from John Sheppard to come join them in the celebration. Teyla’s calls had ceased after only a few tries, and he was certain Ronon hadn’t even bothered knowing that when he had his mind set on something there was nothing they could do to tear him away from it, bar physically removing him from it, which Ronon was more than capable of doing.

He had been running simulations on his computer and when he was sure the result was going to be to his satisfaction, he grabbed his necessary equipment and made his way through near empty hallways. No one around to bother him with silly questions. He had but one goal in mind, access to the Atlantis mainframe from where he could set his surprise in motion, but the activation would take place where he could see his friends enjoy his gift to them. He fiddled with the commands, setting his timer giving him ample time to rejoin his friends in the cafeteria, and then left again, leaving no trace, bar a small script hidden underneath layers of code. The control room wouldn’t even notice they weren’t in control of the shield anymore, not until he allowed them to take over once more. The shield was an intricate part of his plans so it wouldn’t be a problem should they suddenly get unwanted visitors in any shape or size.

Rodney observed the people in the cafeteria and attempted to sneak inside, hoping to find a suitable location from where he could witness his spectacle to come. However, John Sheppard had spotted him from a mile away it seemed as he, with Ronon in tow, rapidly made his way over to him, two glasses in his hands filled with hopefully punch and not Athosian wine.

“Ah, finally decided to join us,” John handed him one of the glasses. “I was just going to order Ronon to come get you.”

“No need,” he tilted his head, eyeing Ronon who gave him a mischievous wink.

“Teyla’s on the balcony, with Kate and Elizabeth.”

John motioned in the direction of the balcony, indicating he was going back to rejoin them. Rodney nodded, following in his footsteps. When they stepped onto the balcony, Rodney ran head on into John’s back when he stopped short.

“Hey, what’s the shield doing up?”

Rodney noticed Elizabeth tapping her radio, no doubt asking Chuck in the control room what was happening. He gave his modified palmtop a quick glance, before putting it back into his pocket. Everything was going according to his plan.

“It wasn’t Chuck,” she glanced at Rodney.

“Maybe a malfunction in the system?” Teyla suggested.

“What’s… that?” Kate pointed up at the sky, having noticed something different about the shield.

The shield’s color momentarily shifted between different shades of blue, before settling on its transparent blueish hue again. However, as it settled down small particles appeared from nowhere, starting to make their way down on them. John caught one in his hand. It lay there for a split second before it seemed to melt away. He tilted his head, before swirling around to look at Rodney.

Rodney didn’t move, just watched his friends stare at the particles coming down from seemingly nowhere. He dared not say anything, afraid he might break the spell but when John turned to him he felt perhaps an explanation was in order.

“It’s snow,” he explained.

“Snow?” Elizabeth echoed, surprised.

Rodney nodded. “Fake, but close enough.”

“Our first white solstice.” Kate’s face lit up.

“You did this?” Ronon glanced up and down, following flakes as they fell from the shield’s underside.

Rodney nodded again. “I did.”

John grinned. “Cool!”

Rodney smiled, satisfied his surprise was a success. People all around them were glancing up, or trying to catch flakes. The more fake snow fell, the more it stuck to the balcony and other parts of the city, creating the illusion of one giant snow globe. Soon, the balcony was covered in a nice layer, and before long the first ice cold ball landed on his neck. Up until that point Rodney had considered his gift a success, but with mischief rearing its head it was time to get the hell out of dodge and find a safer environment. He dodged through the door, lingering just long enough to see the joy and fun he was now responsible for. Who would ever have considered him to be a Secret Santa like that? However, a snowball hitting the door mere inches away from his face signaled the end of him as audience, hurrying inside to safety.


End file.
